Kimchi refrigerator

ABSTRACT

A kimchi refrigerator having a first storing unit to store function selecting information, and a control panel having a display displaying the function selecting information read from the first storing unit and a key input part to input functions selected by a user. The kimchi refrigerator includes a second storing unit to store detail function selecting information corresponding to each of the function selecting information, a voice output part to output the detail function selecting information read from the second storing unit; and a function selecting controller controlling the function selecting information and the detail function selecting information to be respectively displayed in the display and the voice output part based on manipulation of the key input part.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of Korean Application No.2003-28239, filed May 2, 2003, in the Korean Intellectual PropertyOffice, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to a kimchi refrigerator, and, moreparticularly, to a kimchi refrigerator having an improved control panel,which enables a user to conveniently control the kimchi refrigerator.

[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0005] Conventional kimchi refrigerators maintain a temperature of astoring compartment at 0° C. unlike general refrigerators, whichmaintain a temperature thereof between 5° C.-7° C. This temperature ismaintained to achieve a desirable taste of kimchi during a long periodof refrigeration.

[0006] Recently, a fermenting technique has been additionally developed,allowing a user to select various storing conditions, such astemperature and time.

[0007] Additionally, conventional kimchi refrigerators control whetherto supply a refrigerant by comparing a temperature at the interior ofthe kimchi refrigerator sensed by a temperature sensor with apredetermined setup temperature using a microprocessor. The storingconditions, such as the predetermined setup temperature, arepredetermined and correspond to functions, which are selected through acontrol panel of the kimchi refrigerator.

[0008] As shown in FIG. 1, the control panel of the kimchi refrigeratorcomprises: a display 2 displaying functions which can be selected by auser; input keys 3 corresponding to respective functions whichselectively input displayed functions; and LEDs 5 displaying thefunctions selected by a user by emitting light.

[0009] The functions, which can be selected by a user, aresemi-permanently displayed in the display 2. A user selects desirablefunctions by pushing the input keys 3, which correspond to the functionshe/she wants to select.

[0010] However, since the functions are displayed in the display 3 as abrief word or a simple image, a user cannot easily understand themeaning of the brief word or the simple image. Consequently, he/she hasto refer to a manual of the kimchi refrigerator. Also, he/she may selectinappropriate functions by mistake. This results in food, stored in thekimchi refrigerator, going bad.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011] It is an aspect of the present invention to provide a kimchirefrigerator having an improved control panel enabling a user toconveniently select appropriate functions without a manual thereof.

[0012] To achieve the above and/or other aspects, according to thepresent invention, there is provided a kimchi refrigerator having afirst storing unit to store function selecting information, and acontrol panel having a display displaying the function selectinginformation read from the first storing unit and a key input part toinput functions selected by a user, comprising: a second storing unit tostore detail function selecting information corresponding to each of thefunction selecting information; a voice output part to output the detailfunction selecting information read from the second storing unit; and afunction selecting controller controlling the function selectinginformation and the detail function selecting information to berespectively displayed in the display and the voice output part based onmanipulation of the key input part.

[0013] Additional and/or other aspects and advantages of the inventionwill be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part,will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice ofthe invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] These and/or other objects and advantages of the presentinvention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from thefollowing description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with theaccompany drawings, of which:

[0015]FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a configuration of a control panelof a conventional kimchi refrigerator;

[0016]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a kimchi refrigerator according toan embodiment of the present invention;

[0017]FIG. 3 is a control block diagram of the kimchi refrigerator shownin FIG. 2;

[0018]FIG. 4 is an exemplary view illustrating configuration of acontrol panel of the kimchi refrigerator shown in FIG. 2; and

[0019]FIG. 5 is an exemplary view illustrating function selectinginformation displayed on a display on the basis of a manipulation of thecontrol panel of the kimchi refrigerator shown in FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0020] Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of thepresent invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elementsthroughout. The embodiments are described below to explain the presentinvention by referring to the figures.

[0021]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a kimchi refrigerator according toan embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, therefrigerator comprises a main body 13 having door openings facing towarda front and a top thereof, a pair of front doors 15 provided in thefront of the main body 13 opening and closing the front facing dooropenings and a pair of top doors 17 provided in the top of the main body13 opening and closing the top facing door openings.

[0022] The main body 13 is substantially box shaped. A control panel 11is provided in a front and upper part of the main body 13. The controlpanel 11 allows a user to select storing conditions of various kinds offood, such as kimchi, which are stored in a storing compartment. Leftand right side and top and bottom storage compartments are provided ininsides of the front doors 15 and the top doors 17. Each storingcompartment accommodates storing vessels, which store food, such askimchi.

[0023] Also, a component compartment (not shown) separated from thestoring compartments is formed in an inside of the kimchi refrigerator.A compressor to compress a refrigerant and a condenser to condense therefrigerant supplied from the compressor is provided inside of thecomponent compartment.

[0024] Further, heaters, which radiate heat by power, which is suppliedto maintain the temperature of the storing compartments at apredetermined temperature, and evaporators, cooling the respectivestoring compartments by using the refrigerant supplied from thecondenser, are provided in a surrounding wall of the storingcompartments.

[0025] Temperature sensors 25, being adjacent to a top of theevaporators, sensing the temperature of the respective storingcompartments, are provided in upper portions of the left and right andtop and bottom storing compartments. Refrigerant supplying valves 27, tosupply or cut off the refrigerant, are provided in refrigerant pipesconnecting the condenser and the evaporators.

[0026] A controller 21 controlling operation of components, such as thecompressor, and the refrigerant supplying valves 27 on the basis of thetemperature sensed by the temperature sensors 25 and functions selectedthrough the control panel 11 is provided in a side of the main body 13.

[0027] The kimchi refrigerator having the above configuration operatesas follows. Initially, power is supplied through a power supplying part23. Functions are then selected through the control panel 11, and thecompressor compresses the refrigerant according to the selectedfunctions. The refrigerant compressed by the compressor is supplied tothe condenser through the refrigerant pipes. The refrigerant condensedby the condenser is supplied to the evaporators and cools each storingcompartment. After cooling each storing compartment, the refrigerantflows out from the evaporators and returns to the compressor.

[0028] The controller 21 controls each storing compartment to be cooledto an appropriate temperature by appropriately turning the refrigerantsupplying valves 27 on and off based on the temperature of each storingcompartment sensed by the temperature sensors 25.

[0029] Since FIG. 2 is illustrated to describe a schematic configurationand an operation of the kimchi refrigerator, details, such as the numberof the front and top doors 15 and 17, respectively, and layout and thenumber of the other components, are not intended to limit the scope ofthe present invention.

[0030]FIG. 3 is a control block diagram of the kimchi refrigeratoraccording to the present invention. FIG. 4 is an exemplary viewillustrating configuration of a control panel of the kimchi refrigeratoraccording to the present invention. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, thekimchi refrigerator according to the present invention comprises a firststoring unit 35 storing function selecting information and the controlpanel 11 having a display 33 which displays the function selectinginformation as read from the first storing unit 35 and a key input part31 through which inputting functions are selected by a user.

[0031] The kimchi refrigerator according to the present inventionfurther comprises the power supplying part 23 supplying power, thetemperature sensors 25 sensing the temperature of each storingcompartment, the refrigerant supplying valves 27 supplying and cuttingoff the refrigerant, and the controller 21 which confirms storingconditions, such as temperature and/or time, corresponding to theselected functions through the control panel 11. The controller 21further controls the refrigerant supplying valves 27 based on thestoring conditions and the temperature sensed by the temperature sensors25.

[0032] The kimchi refrigerator according to the present inventionfurther comprises a second storing unit 37 storing detail functionselecting information corresponding to each function selectioninformation, a voice output part 39 outputting the detail functionselecting information which is read from the second storing unit 37 asvoice, and a function selecting controller 30 controlling the functionselecting information and the detail function selecting information tobe respectively displayed in the display 33 and the voice output part 39based on manipulation of the key input part 31.

[0033] The first storing unit 35 stores the function selectinginformation to be displayed in the display 33 of the control panel 11.

[0034] The function selecting information comprises at least a pluralityof functions to be selected by a user and words describing the selectingmethod which are descriptive enough that a manual is not required. Forexample, the function selecting information may comprise images andwords to be displayed in the display 33, such as the images and wordscorresponding to reference numbers 51, 52, 53, 54, 56, 57, and 58 inFIG. 5, which illustrates the display 33 displaying the functionselecting information. Also, the function selecting information maycomprise an error message 55 (refer to FIG. 5).

[0035] The control panel 11 comprises the display 33 and the key inputpart 31 (refer to FIG. 4). The display 33 displays the functionselecting information of the first storing unit 35 (refer to FIG. 5).

[0036] The display 33 is formed with an LCD. The function selectinginformation to be displayed in the display 33 is arranged in order asshown in FIG. 5.

[0037] If any one of the functions is selected, selecting information ofa hierarchically stored lower level function, which corresponds to theselected function, is displayed in the display 33.

[0038] Also, the displayed function selecting information is formed witha plurality of functions to be selected by a user. In an embodiment ofthe invention, one of the plurality of functions flickers in apredetermined period. Herein, the flickering function is a functionselectively inputted through a confirming button 43 (to be describedlater) as shown in FIG. 4. Hereinafter, a flickering state is referredto as a selection standby state.

[0039] The key input part 31 is provided in accordance with theconfirming button 43 to select desirable functions, and a right movingbutton 41 a and a left moving button 41 b to move selections to thedesiring functions.

[0040] The right and left moving buttons 41 a and 41 b enable one of thefunctions displayed in the display 33 to be in the selection standbystate. As an example, if a user pushes the right moving button 41 a, aright side function relative to the present function in the selectionstandby state is thereby selected to be in the standby state. If a rightside function relative to the present function in the selection standbystate does not exist, either an error message is displayed, or aleftmost function of the functions displayed in the display 33, isselected to be in the selection standby state.

[0041] The second storing unit 37 stores the detail function selectinginformation corresponding to the function selecting information. Herein,the detail function selecting information is stored to be audiblyoutputted (e.g., as a voice speaking words describing the functionselecting information).

[0042] For example, when the function selecting informationcorresponding to the reference number 56 in FIG. 5 is displayed, a voicemessage discusses a manipulation method. The message states, forexample, “please, select storing functions you want by using the left orright moving button. Push the confirming button after selecting,please.”

[0043] Also, for example, when a user selects a fermenting function notto be set up by mistake, the error message 55 (refer to FIG. 5) isdisplayed in the display 33. In this case, the function selectinginformation, which is the error message 55, is displayed in the display33. Simultaneously, an error message, which states, for example, “nofermenting function in this storing compartment. If you want to use thefermenting function, use other storing compartment, please”, may bestored as the detail function selecting information to be outputted as avoice type.

[0044] The voice output part 39 outputs the detail function selectinginformation which is read from the second storing unit 37, as a voicetype. The voice output part 39 comprises a voice circuit and a speakerprovided in an outside or inside of the main body 13 of the kimchirefrigerator. Additionally, an audio apparatus provided with the voicecircuit and the speaker may be applied to the voice output part 39.

[0045] The function selecting controller 30 controls the functionselecting information and the detail function selecting information tobe respectively displayed in the display 33 and the voice output part 39in accordance with manipulation of the key input part 31.Simultaneously, the function selecting controller 30 transmits selectionsignals corresponding to the selected functions to the controller 21, sothat the controller 21 controls the refrigerant supplying valves 27based on storing conditions, such as the temperature and time,corresponding to the selection signal and the temperature sensed by thetemperature sensors 25.

[0046] If manipulation of the key input part 31 occurs, that is, if auser pushes the confirming button 43, the function selecting controller30 searches a lower-level function selecting information, which ishierarchically connected to the function selecting information displayedin the display 33, in the first storing unit 35 and displays thelower-level function selecting information in the display 33.Simultaneously, the function selecting controller 30 searches the detailfunction selecting information corresponding to the lower-level functionselecting information in the second storing unit 37 and outputs thedetail function selecting information through the voice output part 39.

[0047] The function selecting information and the detail functionselecting information may be managed separately or as one DB (Database).Herein, a corresponding table, which stores the corresponding relationbetween the function selecting information and the detail functionselecting information, may be separately provided. Similarly, ahierarchical table, which stores the relation between an optionalfunction selecting information and the lower-level function selectinginformation hierarchically connected therewith, may be also separatelyprovided.

[0048]FIG. 5 is an exemplary view illustrating function selectinginformation displayed on the display 33 based on the manipulation of thecontrol panel 11 of the kimchi refrigerator according to an embodimentof the present invention.

[0049] For example, if power is supplied to components of the kimchirefrigerator including the control panel 11, the detail functionselecting information, such as an initial image and greeting, isdisplayed or outputted in the display 33 and the voice output part 39.

[0050] If a predetermined time, for example, 5 seconds, passes, thefunction selecting information corresponding to the reference number 51in FIG. 5 is displayed in the display 33. Simultaneously, detailinformation, such as the following example may be stated. This exampleincludes the following instruction: “confirm setup states of all storingcompartments, please. A left storing compartment is for kimchi, a topstoring compartment is for meat/fish, a bottom storing compartment isfor new rice/cereal, and a left storing compartment is for kimchi.”These instructions are outputted through the voice output part 39,informing the setup state of all storing compartments.

[0051] If a user selects a certain storing compartment to change a setupcondition of the storing compartment or pushes a wrong button bymistake, an error message 52 is displayed in the display 33.Simultaneously, the detail function selecting information, which informsthe user of a manipulation method is outputted. That output may includethe following statement: “select one of storing compartments at firstowing to setup of a lock function, please”.

[0052] The function selecting information corresponding to the referencenumber 53 in FIG. 5 is displayed in the display 33. Simultaneously, thedetail function selecting information, such as “push the storingcompartment selecting button provided in the left side of the controlpanel, please”, is outputted through the voice output part 39.

[0053] If a user pushes the left storing compartment selecting button,the function selecting information corresponding to the reference number54 in FIG. 5 is displayed in the display 33. The detail functionselecting information informing the user of the manipulation method, isoutputted. That output may include the following statement: “select onefunction you want of storing/fermenting functions by using the leftwardor rightward moving button, please. Push the confirming button afterselecting is completed, please”.

[0054] When a user selects the fermenting function while the fermentingfunction is not set up in the storing compartment, the functionselecting information, such as the error message 55, is displayed in thedisplay 33. The detail function selecting information informing the userof the manipulation method, is outputted. That output may include thefollowing statement: “no fermenting function in this storingcompartment. Please, use the other storing compartment”.

[0055] If a user selects the storing function and pushes the confirmingbutton 43, the function selecting information corresponding to thereference number 56 in FIG. 5 is displayed in the display 33. The detailfunction selecting information informing the user of the manipulationmethod is outputted. That output may include the following statement:“select one function you want of storing/fermenting functions by usingthe leftward or rightward moving button, please. Push the confirmingbutton after selecting is completed, please”.

[0056] If a user selects a kimchi (medium) function, the functionselecting information corresponding to the reference number 57 in FIG. 5is displayed in the display 33. The detail function selectinginformation informing the user of the manipulation method is outputted.That output may include the following statement: “You selected thekimchi (medium) storing condition for the left storing compartment.States of all storing compartments are displayed in 5 seconds”. Thefunction selecting information corresponding to the reference number 58in FIG. 5 is displayed in the display 33 in 5 seconds.

[0057] With the above configuration, the function selecting informationand the detail function selecting information are stored. The functionselecting information is displayed in the display, and the detailfunction selecting information informing the manipulation method, and soon detailed relative to the function selecting information, is outputtedas a voice type. Accordingly, the kimchi refrigerator is easilycontrolled and a user can conveniently select an appropriate functionwithout a manual for the kimchi refrigerator.

[0058] As described above, according to the present invention, a kimchirefrigerator, which is relatively easily controlled and allows a user toconveniently select an appropriate function without a manual by givingdetail information on manipulation through a voice output part and anLCD display of a control panel thereof, are provided.

[0059] Although a few embodiments of the present invention have beenshown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the artthat changes may be made in this embodiment without departing from theprinciples and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined inthe claims and their equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A kimchi refrigerator having a first storing unitto store function selecting information, and a control panel having adisplay displaying the function selecting information read from thefirst storing unit and a key input part to input functions selected by auser, comprising: a second storing unit to store detail functionselecting information corresponding to each of the function selectinginformation; a voice output part to output the detail function selectinginformation read from the second storing unit; and a function selectingcontroller controlling the function selecting information and the detailfunction selecting information to be respectively displayed in thedisplay and the voice output part based on manipulation of the key inputpart.
 2. The kimchi refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein thefunction selecting information comprises: words describing a pluralityof functions to be selected by a user; and instructions as to how toselect one of the plurality of functions, wherein the detail functionselecting information includes the words and is stored to be voiceoutputted.
 3. The kimchi refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein thekey input part comprises: a confirming button to select desirablefunctions; and at least one moving button to move a selection to thedesirable functions, wherein the moving button comprises a left movingbutton and a right moving button.
 4. The kimchi refrigerator accordingto claim 3, wherein the plurality of functions displayed in the displayturn to be in a selection standby state to be selected by manipulationof the confirming button and the moving button of the key input part. 5.The kimchi refrigerator according to claim 4, wherein a functioncorresponding to the selection standby state comprises a function, whichflickers at a predetermined period.
 6. The kimchi refrigerator accordingto claim 1, wherein the function selecting information and the detailfunction selecting information comprise an error message, the errormessage is displayed in the display and outputted in the voice outputpart when the key input part is not manipulated according to a functionselecting method displayed in the display.
 7. The kimchi refrigeratoraccording to claim 2, wherein the function selecting information and thedetail function selecting information comprise an error message, theerror message is displayed in the display and outputted in the voiceoutput part when the key input part is not manipulated according to afunction selecting method displayed in the display.
 8. The kimchirefrigerator according to claim 3, wherein the function selectinginformation and the detail function selecting information comprise anerror message, the error message is displayed in the display andoutputted in the voice output part when the key input part is notmanipulated according to a function selecting method displayed in thedisplay.
 9. The kimchi refrigerator according to claim 4, wherein thefunction selecting information and the detail function selectinginformation comprise an error message, the error message is displayed inthe display and outputted in the voice output part when the key inputpart is not manipulated according to a function selecting methoddisplayed in the display.
 10. The kimchi refrigerator according to claim5, wherein the function selecting information and the detail functionselecting information comprise an error message, the error message isdisplayed in the display and outputted in the voice output part when thekey input part is not manipulated according to a function selectingmethod displayed in the displayer.